1. Our commitment to your privacy
The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga – Siasi Uesiliana Tauʻatāina ʻo Tonga (“the Church”, “we”, “our” or “us”) respects the privacy, dignity and trust of every person who visits or interacts with our website.
As a Christian Church, we understand the care of personal information to be not only an administrative responsibility but also part of the respect and care we owe to one another. We are committed to collecting, using, storing, and sharing personal information responsibly, securely, and only for purposes connected with the life, ministry, and work of the Church.
This Privacy Policy explains how personal information may be collected and handled when you visit or use www.fwc.to.
We seek to comply with applicable privacy and data protection laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate, including, where applicable, the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
2. What is personal information?
Personal information is information about an identifiable individual.
Depending on how you use our website, this may include: your name; email address; telephone number; postal address; Church, congregation, district or organisational affiliation; information included in enquiries or contact forms; information provided when registering for Church events, programmes or activities; newsletter or mailing-list preferences; photographs, videos or testimonials provided for publication; pastoral, prayer or ministry-related information that you voluntarily provide; technical information associated with your use of the website; and any other personal information that you choose to provide to us.
We aim to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is being requested.
3. How we collect personal information
We may collect personal information when you: complete a contact or enquiry form; subscribe to a newsletter or Church update; register for an event, programme, conference or activity; communicate with the Church through the website; submit a prayer, pastoral or ministry enquiry; provide feedback, a testimony, photograph or other material; make an online donation or payment, where such services are available; apply for or enquire about a Church service, programme or opportunity; or otherwise voluntarily provide information through the website.
Some technical information may also be collected automatically when you use the website through cookies, server logs and website analytics.
Where reasonably practicable, we collect personal information directly from the person concerned. If information is obtained from another source, we will handle it in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
4. Why we collect and use personal information
We may use information collected through www.fwc.to to: respond to questions, enquiries and requests; provide information about the Church, its ministries and activities; administer registrations for events, conferences, programmes and services; provide newsletters, notices and Church communications that you have requested; facilitate pastoral or ministry-related communication; process donations or payments where online payment facilities are provided; administer Church programmes and community activities; maintain the security and proper operation of the website; understand how visitors use the website and improve its content and functionality; maintain appropriate Church records where necessary; comply with legal or regulatory requirements; protect the safety and well-being of individuals; and carry out other purposes that are directly related to the reason the information was collected.
We will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose unless we have appropriate permission or are otherwise permitted or required to do so by law.
5. Pastoral and prayer-related information
We recognise that information shared in connection with prayer, pastoral care, spiritual guidance or other ministry may be particularly personal and sensitive.
Where such information is submitted through the website, we will endeavour to handle it respectfully and confidentially, and to restrict access to those who reasonably need the information to respond or provide the requested care.
There may be circumstances in which information must be shared to protect someone from serious harm or where disclosure is otherwise required by law.
The website should not be used as an emergency service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please get in touch with the appropriate emergency service in your country.
6. Children and young people
The Church values the well-being and safety of children and young people.
We take particular care when collecting or publishing personal information relating to children and young people. Where appropriate, we will seek the involvement or consent of a parent, guardian or authorised caregiver before collecting, using or publishing such information.
We encourage children and young people not to provide sensitive personal information through the website without the knowledge of a parent, guardian or trusted adult.
Photographs, videos or identifying information concerning children and young people will be handled with particular care and in accordance with applicable safeguarding and privacy requirements.
7. Photographs, videos, testimonies and Church stories
The website may contain photographs, videos, testimonies, historical material and stories relating to the worship, ministry, education, fellowship and community life of the Church.
Where personal information is intentionally published online, we will endeavour to ensure that its publication is appropriate and that any permission reasonably required has been obtained.
Because material published on the internet can be viewed, copied and shared by people outside the Church, we will exercise particular care when publishing sensitive information or material involving children and young people.
If you believe that a photograph, video or other personal information concerning you has been published inappropriately, please get in touch with us so that we can review the matter.
8. Cookies
www.fwc.to may use cookies and similar technologies. A cookie is a small file stored on your computer, tablet, mobile phone or other device when you visit a website. Cookies can help a website operate properly, remember preferences and provide information about how visitors use the site.
We may use essential cookies, which are required for the website to operate properly; functional cookies, which support website features and user preferences; and analytics cookies, which help us understand how visitors use the website so we can improve it.
Third-party services incorporated into the website may also place their own cookies on your device.
You can control or turn off cookies through your browser settings. Turning off certain cookies may affect the operation or functionality of some parts of the website.
9. Website analytics and technical information
We may use website analytics and related technologies to understand how www.fwc.to is being used.
Information collected may include: Internet Protocol (IP) address; browser and device type; operating system; pages visited; date and time of visits; approximate geographic region; referring website; and interactions with particular website features.
Where practicable, we use aggregated analytics data to understand website traffic, improve content, identify technical problems, and enhance the visitor experience.
10. Third-party content and services
Our website may contain or display content provided through third-party services, including YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms; Google services; mapping services; email or newsletter providers; website analytics providers; and payment or donation providers.
These organisations may collect information about your interaction with their services and may use cookies or other tracking technologies.
Their own privacy policies and terms govern how they handle your information. We encourage you to review those policies where appropriate.
11. Online donations and payments
While www.fwc.to provides facilities for donations, registrations, or other payments, payment processing may be handled by an external payment provider.
Information necessary to process the transaction may therefore be provided directly to that provider. The Church will not intentionally retain full credit or debit card details unless necessary and handled through an appropriately secure payment system.
The payment provider's own privacy policy and terms may also apply to the transaction.
12. Newsletters and Church communications
If you subscribe to Church newsletters, notices or electronic communications, we may use your contact details to provide the information you requested.
You may unsubscribe from optional electronic communications at any time by: using the unsubscribe link included in the communication, where available; or contacting us to be removed from the relevant mailing list.
Administrative communications necessary for an event, registration, transaction, or service you have requested may still be sent, where appropriate.
13. When we may share personal information
We do not sell personal information.
We may share personal information only where this is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected or where sharing is otherwise permitted or required by law.
This may include sharing information with: authorised Church officers, ministers, employees or volunteers; Church departments, districts, circuits, congregations or related bodies where necessary to respond to a request or administer an activity; service providers who assist us with website hosting, information technology, communications, email, event administration, analytics or payment processing; professional advisers where reasonably necessary; law enforcement, regulatory or other public authorities where legally required; or appropriate persons or agencies where disclosure is necessary to address a serious threat to someone's health or safety.
When third-party service providers handle personal information on our behalf, we expect them to use it only for the services they provide and to take appropriate measures to protect it.
14. Information stored or processed outside your country
The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga is an international Church community, and some website services may be provided by companies whose computer systems or servers are located outside Tonga or outside the country from which you access the website.
This means that personal information may sometimes be stored or processed overseas.
Where applicable, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information transferred or processed internationally receives appropriate protection consistent with relevant privacy requirements.
15. Security of personal information
We take reasonable technical, administrative and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss; unauthorised access; misuse; alteration; unauthorised disclosure; and destruction.
Access to personal information should be limited to people who reasonably require it for Church, administrative or technical purposes.
However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should therefore take appropriate care when deciding which personal or sensitive information to submit via an online form.
16. How long we keep personal information
We will retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to fulfil legitimate Church administrative or historical purposes, or to comply with applicable legal requirements.
When personal information is no longer reasonably required, we may securely delete, anonymise or archive it as appropriate.
Some records may appropriately be preserved as part of the Church's historical and archival record.
17. Accessing or correcting your personal information
Subject to applicable law, you may ask us: whether we hold personal information about you; for access to personal information we hold about you; or to correct information that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
We may need to confirm your identity before releasing or changing personal information.
Please contact the Church using the details below.
18. Privacy breaches
If we become aware of a privacy or security breach involving personal information, we will assess the circumstances and take reasonable steps to contain and address the breach.
Where applicable law requires notification to affected individuals, a privacy authority or another relevant body, we will take appropriate steps to meet those obligations.
19. External websites
www.fwc.to may contain links to websites operated by other churches, organisations, institutions or service providers.
The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga is not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of external websites. When you leave www.fwc.to, you should review the privacy policy of the website you are visiting.
20. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect: changes to the website; new technologies or services; changes in Church activities; changes to our privacy practices; or changes to applicable laws and regulations.
The most recent version will be published on www.fwc.to, along with its effective or last updated date.
21. Contact us
If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, wish to request access to or correction of your personal information, or wish to raise a privacy concern, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga
Dr Moulton Centre
Vahaʻakolo Road, Kolomotuʻa
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
Telephone: +676 23 522
You may also contact us through the Contact Us page on the website.
We will endeavour to respond respectfully and within a reasonable period.